With 1.4 million tourists expected to flock to Tennessee to view the Great American Eclipse on Monday, August 21, many hotels within the Path of Totality have no vacancy. Crossville is one such location and according to the Crossville Chronicle, all hotels in Cumberland County are booked solid. At about 1:30 p.m. on Monday, August 21, Cumberland County will experience about two and a half minutes of totality as the moon passes between the Earth and sun.

The office of Cumberland County Mayor Kenneth Carey Jr. has received notification that the SOLAR ECLIPSE glasses distributed recently by the Art Circle Public Library were not CONFIRMED by the vendor as being sourced by a RECOMMENDED Manufacturer. The notification from Amazon reads as follows: "Amazon has not received confirmation from the supplier of your order that they sourced the item from a recommended manufacturer. We recommend that you DO NOT use this product to view the sun or the eclipse"

Again, if you, or someone you know, received your solar eclipse glasses from the Art Circle Public Library, you should NOT use them to view the eclipse.

Crossville, TN - The end of summer is traditionally marked by the Labor Day holiday, a time for our country to reflect on the hard work of our fellow Americans. The long weekend is typically celebrated through picnics, pool parties, and barbecues, as families and friends enjoy the last few days of summer before fall and winter approach. Sadly, the Labor Day holiday is also one of the deadliest, with drunk drivers endangering themselves and others on America's roadways. This year, the City of Crossville Police Department is partnering with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to stop drunk drivers and help save lives. The high-visibility national enforcement campaign, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, runs from August 16 through September 4, 2017. During this period, local law enforcement will show zero tolerance for drunk driving. Increased state and national messages about the dangers of driving impaired, coupled with enforcement and increased officers on the road, aim to drastically reduce drunk driving on our nation's roadways.

Statistics show a frightening trend in drunk driving. According to NHTSA, 10,265 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes in 2015, an increase from the 9,967 people killed in 2014. On average, 10,000 people were killed each year from 2011 to 2015 - one person killed every 51 minutes in 2015. That's the equivalent of 20 jumbo jets crashing each year, with no survivors. This is why the Crossville Police Department is working with NHTSA to remind drivers that drunk driving is not only illegal, it is a matter of life and death. As you head out to Labor Day festivities, remember: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.

Over the Labor Day holiday period in 2015, there were 460 crash fatalities nationwide. Forty percent of those fatal crashes involved drivers who had been drinking (.01+ BAC). Of those alcohol-related fatal crashes, one third (33%) involved drivers who were drunk (.08+ BAC), and nearly one-fourth (23%) involved drivers who were driving with a BAC almost twice the illegal limit (.15+ BAC). Nighttime is the most dangerous time to be out on the roads: During the 2015 Labor Day holiday period, 78 percent of drunk-driving crash fatalities occurred between 6 p.m. and 5:59 a.m. - as compared to half of all drunk-driving crash fatalities throughout the rest of the year.

"We're stressing the dangers of driving impaired to our community," said Patrolman Daniel Coleman. "Drunk driving is a massive problem in the United States, with more than 10,000 people dying annually. If you?re out on the roads and you see someone driving drunk, please call us. You could help save a life," he said.

The City of Crossville Police Department and NHTSA are reminding citizens of the many resources available to get them home safely. "Drunk driving is not acceptable behavior," said Lieutenant Brian Tilley. "It is essential to plan a sober ride home before you ever leave for the party. That's why, during the Labor Day holiday, we will make zero exceptions for drunk driving. There are just no excuses," he said.

The Crossville Police Department recommends safe alternatives to drinking and driving:- Remember that it is never okay to drink and drive. Even if you?ve had one alcoholic beverage, designate a sober driver or plan to use public transportation to get home safely.- Download NHTSA?s SaferRide mobile app available on Google Play for Android devices: (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nhtsa.SaferRide&hl=en), and Apple?s iTunes Store for IOS devices: (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/saferride/id950774008?mt=8). SaferRide allows users to call a taxi or a predetermined friend, and identifies the user?s location so he or she can be picked up.- If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact the police immediately.- Have a friend who is about to drink and drive? Take the keys away and make arrangements to get your friend home safely.

THP and TDOT Prepare for EclipseWTVF Wednesday August 16, 2017

The Tennessee Highway Patrol said troopers haven't planned for an event so extensively since Y2K. Now the countdown is on: two weeks until day briefly turns to night and we experience a total solar eclipse.It's something Tennessee state agencies have been planning for since Christmas. On August 21, TDOT drivers will be stationed across the state to respond to crashes and other calls for help.TDOT and THP fear that people will stop on the road or shoulder, causing serious or deadly crashes.Troopers said there are some things you can do to help: If you are driving, turn on your headlights. When driving don't look directly at the sun and whatever you do don't try to wear your dark safety goggles on the road.Pay attention and keep moving. Keep in mind that if you do stop along the road, you will be reprimanded by law enforcement and you could get a ticket.The best thing you can do is plan ahead. Anticipate traffic that day and get to your viewing spot early so you're not caught on the roads during the eclipse.

TDOT/THP Gearing Up for Great American EclipsePeg Broadcasting News/TSEA Tuesday August 15, 2017

The Tennessee Highway Patrol and the Tennessee Department of Transportation are gearing up for the Great American Eclipse on Monday, August 21. This will be the first coast-to coast eclipse in 98 years and it is estimated that between 300,000 to over a million tourists could come to Middle Tennessee to view the celestial event. Lasting more than an hour, the sun will slowly be covered by the moon, engulfing the area in total darkness. Then, the process reverses and the region slowly returns to light. With Middle Tennessee offering a unique front-row experience to this phenomenon, the Tennessee Department of Transportation and Tennessee Highway Patrol are planning extensively for this event. Jennifer Flynn, Region 2 Community Relations Officer with TDOT says preparing for the eclipse is similar to other large events held in the state. TDOT is planning ahead like it would for any event where there is a large influx of traffic, such as Bonnaroo or the CMA in Nashville. TDOT has been working closely with the Tennessee Highway Patrol to keep traffic moving on the interstates and state routes on the day of the eclipse. TDOT help trucks will assist the THP officers with traffic control. TDOT will also work with local law enforcement. Lt. John Harmon with the Tennessee Highway Patrol says all available troopers will be working the day of the eclipse to respond to crashes and construction backups.